Container



July 4, 1944. H. MERKER ET A1.

CONTAINER Filed July 25, 1942 Patented July 4, 1944 12,352,728 CONTAINER :Herman Merker and Howard L. Newton, Milwaukee, Wis., Aassignors to Pressed Steel Tank Corn-7 pany, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application July 25,1942, serial No. 452,280 l,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a container especially adapted for use with beer or other carbon-` ated beverages, and in the nature oi an im-` provernent of .the invention described and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,293,943,.issued to-us on August 25, 1942.

The object of `the present inventionv is to sirnpliiy the construction of a device of this kind so constituted as to facilitate its assembly and dis- 'assembly and yetgprovide for the secure though releasable locking of the parts in the assembly in such manner as to hermetically seal the con-Y tainer.

In containers of this kind the container or bar relhas a singleopening through which it is lled, cleaned, pitched, and tapped. A fitting is provided which makes it practical to quickly close the barrel immediately after it is filled with beer (and the nozzlevof the racking arm, or the racking machine, removed)v so as to avoid foar,

ing and preclude loss of beer. Thereafter the fitting is permanently closed and sealed, thus providing a permanently closed package which cannot accidentally ybecome opened, and yet may be readily tapped at the point of use in the ordinary manner. Furthermore, vwhen the barrel is to be relled, the tting may he readily opened.

The present invention incorporates in the construction a simple thoughreadily releasable and highly eiective lock which is combined with the barrel tting and with a spring pressure device in such special manner that when the parts are assembled the barrel is hermetically sealed and is retained sealed Without danger of any accidental disassembly of the elements of the device and consequent leakage or loss oi the beverage from the barrel. While these advantages are realized, the elements of the tting may be readily and easily, as well as very' quickly, assembled and disassembled. f I V Other objects and advantages reside in, certain novel features of construction,,arrangement, and combination Vor parts which will be hereinafter more fully describedand particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specinc-ation, and in which:`

-Figure l is a fragmentary View ,vertical cross section, taken on line i-i oi Figure 2, andl illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a View in top plan of the fitting shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a detail viewintop plan o the com,-

toV

bined pressure ring and locking plate, the sprin,f .1;E projected bolt thereof being omitted. Y

Figure 4 is a View in vertical cross-section;- taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3. v

Referring to the drawing, the numeral i des-` ignates a fragment of a beer barrel which may be constructed in any suitable Way, but preferably,l in a manner shown and described in our patent above referred to. The barrel is provided Witha single opening 2 sufficiently largeto permit fillingcleaning, and tapping therethrough, and is equipped with a special fitting structure designated Vas a whole at F, which makes these operations practical and convenient.

The tting structure F comprises a short, cy lindrical barrel fitting 3, which has inturned flanges 4 and 5 around its lower and upper ends, respectively. The peripheral portion oi the lower. end of the barrel tting is channeled or cut away, as at 6, to adapt it to interrit with the margin of :the opening y2. Suitable Welds (not-shown) permanently secure the barrel tting 3 to the barrel I and hermetically seal these two parts together; The under faceof the inturned'ilange- 4 of the barrel ntting 3 is rounded, as at 8*, to provide for free drainage when the barrel ifiinverted for pitching or washing. rihe top face ci the flange 4 of the barrel iitting 3 is machined to provide a gasket seat 9 with which a gasket I has sealing engagement in` the assembly.

A tap fitting, designated generally at l5, is provided, and has a tubular body portion HS formed withY an `outwardly extending integral base iiange il at its lower end. The under side o f the base flange is provided with an annular groove Il', the parallel side walls of Whichare, undercut. The gasket i0 has a portion received and secured in this undercut annular groove il and has a portion projecting downwardly therefrom for engagement with the gasket seat 9. By securing or attaching the gasket it tothe base flange of the tap itting, dropping ofthe` gasketor lossthereof is prevented. The upper endof.' the tubular body. portion of the tap fitting ifi-'is provided with the usual outturned flange 5S de? signed .and adapted for cooperation with the standard tap. The bere or opening through the tube or body portion through the tap tting is closed by means of the usual cork or plug Z0. The outside diameter of the base flange il-of the tap fitting I5 is such that it may pass freely down through the barrel fitting clearing theA flange 5.

.An annular spring pressure plate 22a is fitted over the body portion it ofthe tap fitting l5 and loosely surrounds this body portion. This spring pressure plate a is constructed of spring steel or other stiliiy resilient metal, and it has a peripheral portion 2| designed to engage the periphery of the base ring of the tap fitting I'5 and also has an integral, upwardly offset inner portion 22. The peripheral portion 2| of the spring-pressed plate 20a is provided with a short, downwardly extending fiange which engages the peripherywof the base ange in the tap fitting to hold the spring pressure plate 20a, centrally located on the base ring I1.

A combined pressure plate and locking ring is co-cperable with the upwardly offset portion 22 of the spring pressure plate 20a. This combined pressure and locking ring 25 is constructed of a rigid piece of metal, such as mild steel, and has integral with one portion of its perlphery anarcuate, fulcrum lug 26, which is engageable under the internal flange 5 in the barrel fitting assembly. Diametrically opposite the lug 26, the ring 25 is provided with a radial bolt guide 21. A- spring-projected bolt 28 is slidably fitted in the guide 21. A coil spring 29 is interposed between the inner end of the bolt and the inner end of its guide and functions to project the same. A pin 38 has Vits lower end fixed to the bolt 28. The upper end of the pin projects through and upwardly beyond a slot 3l overlyingthe bolt guide 21. This pin performs the function of limiting the extent to which the bolt 28 maybe projected by its spring 29 and it also affords aimeans whereby the bolt 28 may be convenientlyfmanually retracted. The bolt `28 is formed with a beveled nose 28.

With this construction when the barrel is filled with beer, the tap fitting I5 may be quickly introduced into the barrel fitting 3 and manually pressed in place to prevent foamingr and loss of beer while the operator places the combined presser and locking ring 25 in position. In placing the ring 25 in position the operator inserts the fulcrurnlug 26 under a portion of the fiange 5 in the barrel fitting 3 and then swings the oppositeportion thereof of ring 25 downwardly until the boltf 28 snaps under the flange 5. The beveled nose ofthe bolt automatically cams it back as the ring 25 is swung down to assembled position. The parts are so dimensioned and proportioned that when the ring 25 is in the position shown in Figure 1, the spring pressure plate 20a is under substantial compression and functions in turn to press forcibly down on the base fitting of the tap ring, thereby compressing the gasket I0 into sealing engagement with the gasket seat 9. This hermetically seals the barrel. To disassemble the fitting F, it is merely necessary to press down on the tap fitting I5, grasp the pin and pull it rearwardly to withdraw the bolt 28 from under the flange 5. The combined pressure plate and locking ring 25 may then be manually swung out of the barrel fitting, after which the tap fitting may be lifted manually out of the barrel fitting.

While we have shown and described one construction in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to bc understood that the construction shown has been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example, and thativarious changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thev subjoined claims.

We. claim:

1. A barrel having an opening, a barrel fitting for the opening provided with a gasket seat, af

tap fitting positionable within the barrel fitting and having a base ring overlying the seat, a gasket interposed between the base ring and the seat, a spring pressure plate engageable with the base ring of the tap fitting, a combined pressure plate and locking ring engageable with the spring pressure plate to cause the same to. force the base ring of the tap ring into vcompressing and sealing engagement with the gasket and thereby effect a hermetic seal, and releasable means for locking the combined presser plate and locking ring in the position wherein it eects the hermetic seal.

2. A barrel having an opening, a barrel fitting for the opening provided with a gasket seat, a tap tting positionable within the barrel fitting and having a base ring overlying the seat, a gasket interposed between the base ring and the seat, a spring pressure plate engageable with the base ring of the tap fitting, a combined presser plate and locking ring fulcrumed on the barrel fitting and engageable with the spring pressure plate to cause the same to force the base ring of the tap fitting toward the gasket seat and thereby effect a hermetic seal, and a lock for securing the locking ring in the position to effect the seal.

3. A barrel having an opening, a barrel fitting for the opening provided with a gasket seat, a tap fitting positionable within the barrel fitting and having a base ring overlying the Seat, a gasket interposed between the base ring and the' seat, a spring pressure plate engageable with the base ring of the tap fitting, a combined presser', plate and locking ring fulcrumed on the barrel fitting and engageable with the spring pressure. plate to cause the same to force the base ring of the tap fitting toward the gasket seat and thereby effect a hermetic seal, and a spring projected, manually retractable bolt carried by the co`m' bined presser plate and locking ring and cooper-j able with the barrel fitting to secure the combined presser plate and locking ring in the Iposition to effect the seal. 'f

4. A barrel having an opening, a barrel fitting for the opening and provided with a gasket seat, a tap fitting positionable within the barrel fitting and having a base ring overlying the seat, 'a'j gasket interposed between the base ring and the seat, an annular spring pressure plate surrounding the body of the tap fitting and having a por`` tion engageable with the base ring. and an out--v wardly offset portion, a combined presser -an'df locking ring surrounding the body portion of the tap fitting, fulcrumed on the barrel fitting and engageable with the upwardly offset portion of the spring pressure plate to cause the same to force the base ring of the tap fitting toward the gasket seat and thereby compress the gasket into hermetic sealing engagement with the gasket seat, and readily releasable locking means between the ring and the barrel fitting for securingl the ring in position to effect said hermetic seal.

5. A barrel having an opening, a barrel fittingfor the opening, the barrel tting having an inwardly extending flange at its lower end presenting an upwardly facing gasket seat and also having an inwardly extending fiange at its upper.

end, a tubular tap fitting positionable within the barrel fitting and having a base ring overlyingl the gasket seat in the assembly, a gasket interposed between the base ring and the gasket seat,

a spring pressure plate surrounding the body.

portion of the tap tting and having a portion engaged with the base ring thereof and also having an upwardly offset portion, a combinedl presser plate and locking ring surrounding the body portion of the tap fitting and'engageable with the upwardly offset portion ofA the spring pressure plate, the locking ring having an integral fulcrum lug engageable under a portion of the inturned flange at the upper end of the barrel fitting, and means between the combined presser plate and barrel fitting to secure the presser plate and locking ring in a position where it compresses the spring pressure plate and cause the same to force the base ring downwardly and compress the gasket between the base ring and the gasket seat to effect a hermetic seal.

6. A barrel having an opening, a barrel fitting i the gasket seat in the assembly, a gasket intera posed between the base ring and the gasket seat,

a spring pressure plate surrounding the body portion of the tap tting and having a portion engaged with the base ring thereof and also having an upwardly offset portion, a combined presser plate and locking ring surrounding the body portion of the tap fitting and engageable with the upwardly oiset portion of the spring pressure plate, the locking ring having an integral fulcrum lug engageable under a portion of the inturned ange at the upper end of the barrel tting, and a spring projected locking bolt carried by the combined presser plate and locking ring and also engageable under the inturned ange of the barrel tting to secure the presser plate and locking ring in a position where it compresses the spring pressure plate and causes the same to force the base ring downwardly and compress the gasket between the base ring and 

